Death Toll Rises to 6,438 Following Dual Earthquakes in Venezuela

Caracas, August 18: The Venezuelan government has updated the official death toll from the dual earthquakes that struck on June 24, revealing that the number of fatalities has risen to 6,438. This marks an increase of 137 deaths compared to the figures released last week.

According to a bulletin issued by the government on Monday, 335 homes have been allocated to families affected by the earthquakes. Additionally, inspections have been conducted on 59,109 buildings nationwide to assess their safety for habitation.

Of the buildings evaluated, 34,680 were deemed habitable, while 13,733 were categorized as restricted access. Furthermore, 10,696 buildings have been identified as high-risk structures.

Earlier updates indicated that over 287 homes had been provided to affected families, and 43,679 buildings had been assessed across the country.

To evaluate the habitability of buildings, the Venezuelan government has implemented a traffic-light tagging system. Green tags are assigned to buildings considered safe for habitation, yellow tags indicate restricted access, and red tags are placed on high-risk buildings that may need to be demolished.

On June 24, two earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale struck Venezuela, with their epicenters located in the western state of Yaracuy and the central state of La Guaira, respectively.

The coastal state of La Guaira suffered the most damage from these earthquakes. According to earlier reports, 10,981 individuals are currently residing in relief camps. In the capital, Caracas, 6,133 people are in shelters, while 1,323 individuals are in the central state of Miranda.

Meanwhile, Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez recently expressed gratitude for the humanitarian aid provided by 28 countries to assist the earthquake victims.

She made this statement after inspecting a collection center in Caracas, where over 2,000 tons of international humanitarian aid are being sorted for distribution to temporary camps housing those affected by the June earthquakes.

Rodriguez stated, “Venezuela never tires of thanking the countries, the people of the world, and the governments of the world who have extended a helping hand.”

The humanitarian aid is being distributed to the temporary camps established for those impacted by the earthquakes.